National Sport News

Whelbourne defies ankle injury

Great Britain short track skater Jack Whelbourne will take part in his 1000 metres heat at the Winter Olympics in Sochi on Thursday, the British Olympic Association has confirmed.

The Englishman injured his ankle when he crashed to the ice in the final of the 1500m at the Iceberg Skating Palace on Monday.

However, Whelbourne trained on Thursday morning and will compete later in the day along with Jon Eley and Richard Shoebridge, with Elise Christie and Charlotte Gilmartin featuring in the quarter-finals of the women's 500m.

British short track team leader Stuart Horsepool confirmed Whelbourne was still struggling with the pain, but would give it a go.

"He's going to take to the line," he said.

"He won't obviously be 100 per cent. But you know, the competition environment, the Olympic environment can do strange things. His ankle is still extremely sore."